Board Members

Donna Sytek is a veteran of New Hampshire politics, having served as Speaker of the House and chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. During 23 years as a state representative from Salem, she chaired several major committees including Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Criminal Justice. Over her legislative career she sponsored more than 150 bills that became law, including truth in sentencing, anti-stalking, Purple Heart license plates, computer crimes, and the Police Memorial. She has a continuing interest and involvement in state policy on criminal justice, substance abuse treatment, and access to public data. Governor Lynch recently appointed her to the Adult Parole Board.

 

Since her retirement from the legislature in 2000, she has taken leadership roles in several nonprofit organizations, serving on the boards of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and New Hampshire Catholic Charities. From 2001 to 2004 she served as chairman of the Judicial Conduct Commission. She is chairman emeritus of the Vesta Roy Excellence in Public Service Series, a political leadership training program for women. She is also a director and past chairman of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, a non-partisan think tank.

 

Donna enjoys writing and was on the board of contributors for the Concord Monitor. She is author of Further Ado: Practical Protocol for New Hampshire, a handbook for anyone inviting, introducing, or writing to elected officials. 

 

Speaker Sytek is a native of Haverhill, Massachusetts and a graduate of Regis College with a major in biology. Until she made politics a full time job, she worked as a medical technologist and as a community relations representative for an electric utility. In 2009 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St. Anselm College.

 

She lives in Salem with her husband, John, a State Representative and high school Latin teacher. They have one daughter.

 

In addition politics and state policy Donna’s interests include swimming, cooking, and classical music. Always one to like a challenge, she is making the transition from a PC to a Mac.